How To Win A Game of Tag
by Jewel Queen
Summary: Loki wants to play a game. Tony isn't so sure...at first. Then he kinda gets into the swing of things and makes Loki start to regret messing with him.
1. Prologue

**So, this is another fic based on a dream. I'm just cool like that.**

**Warnings/Disclaimer: ignores Loki's punishment on Asgard and skips to him wrecking chaos on the planet Earth for kicks and giggles without getting caught this time with all the Avengers that aren't mine, obviously going to be FrostIron, references to sexual elements and some dubious consent/enjoyment, angst sharing, a bit of language, and that's all I can think of. E&R!**

**Prologue: In Which Tony is an Idiot  
**

He didn't know how it came to this.

Well, actually, no. That was a lie. He knew _exactly_ how their little game started because getting thrown out of his own penthouse, of his own building, was just a _tad_ infuriating, not to mention potentially lethal-not that he really expected to turn into a nasty mush of goo on the cement twenty stories down because he had planned preventive measures against it, in a way-so it was reasonable to expect some form of revenge. And, no, he _so_ wasn't obsessing, thank you very much, _ex_-childhood-hero.

Yeah, so the product of his logical _not_obsession was revenge. And that was why he kicked Loki to his (not) doom the first chance he got. If nothing else, the split-second of fear (surprise) in his way too expressive eyes was worth it. Even if Loki somehow teleported the both of them to the roof of that same tower-still under reconstruction, thanks Hulk-that started it all and marched him-no, seriously, proper angry high knees and all-over to the edge, again, with no suit on and only the, admittedly, very firm grip on his collar.

"I do not think you grasp the severity of your situation, mortal," he drawled.

"No, no," Tony said hurriedly. "I do, bright eyes," Loki scowled at that, touchy as he was, and raised him higher in preparation to let him fall that much farther.

"See," he continued trying to explain himself better. "What's going to happen, is you're going to drop me and carry on your plan for world domination as an attempt to get daddy to love you-" Loki hissed, narrowing his eyes painfully, and Anthony got an uncomfortable reminder that they were dealing with a real-live Voldemort here. He decided to wrap it up. "But what will happen is that I somehow escape death-looking devilishly handsome while I do it like always-and aid in your plot's destruction so we can carry on this weird cycle of trying to kill each other by various ways of falling to our demise,"

The god suddenly got a peculiar gleam in those bright eyes of his and set him down with a sigh; but he did not let him go. "I grow tired of my so-called plots. Repetition bores me. The average mortals of your world bore me," They gleamed brighter, fixating on him. A sick pit started in the bottom of his stomach. "_You_ do not,"

"And your point is?" he asked dryly ignoring his bad feelings, like always.

Loki chuckled faintly, unfurling his fingers with all the dextrous motion of a snake-and what was with the snake metaphors today? "I do not take kindly to boredom, Stark, as you well know," he grinned and his teeth were astoundingly white. "Let's play a game," And, really, god of mischief wants to play _anything,_ you should run right out of there. He had the spidey-sense to prove it, too.

So what does Tony do?

"Just name the rules," he grinned back.

Of course.

* * *

They were going to play tag.

But it was a _secret_ version of tag that had its own cool points system.

Like, 5 points for landing a 'tag', 10 for matching the previous tag, 50 for upping the stakes; say, instead of tapping your target on the shoulder, you plop a big fat one on the lips-oh, yes, things got sexual fast, how could they not? 15 points for tags that could take a lot of time times the number of minutes however long the tag is sustained without getting noticed by the Avengers or media. 100 points if the taged 'surrenders' or pulls away from the tag, but 50 points to him if he actually participates to the tag. Tags could only be completed while battling, though that was upended later by the ability to bring in additional rules at any time if both parties agree to the change. All tags were turn based, so time wisely. No blood or any other type of malicious and intentional injury was to occur at any time. Whoever gets caught in control at the time of the tag in question loses. And so on.

Simple and innocent, right?

He didn't expect to be drawn into it, in fact, he hated the game tag when he was a kid. But Loki was strangely _compelling_ in his competitiveness and it infiltrated him by proxy easily. After all, he had a competitive nature just as eager to be challenged and a little more..._open_ morality than a "superhero" should_ technically_ have. All in all, he should have known where this was going. Especially when he caught himself wishing for Loki to show up.


	2. Getting Into the Swing of Things

**This is for Kazulallan: I appreciate your enthusiasm! And do not worry! I have this ALL written out, just needs to be typed up, so be prepared for me bombing up your email/phone/other message receiving device! ;P  
**

**Did I put in a warning for language? No? Well, language gets bad-starting...now! (almost M level-does 3 F-bombs up it like R movies...?) Also, cheesy chapter titles are cheesy from this moment on. So beware. E&R!  
**

**Chapter One: Getting Into the Swing of Things  
**

Tony was puttering around with a few toys after their most recent encounter with Loki, god of making his life interesting. He hated to say it, but he was actually really enjoying the stupid game they were playing and it certainly felt odd saying it-even if it was in his head. Although, now that he was starting to enjoy it, his team was beginning to ruin their fun. Hence, his slightly more harsh handling of the mechanical objects in front of him.

"Shit," he muttered as the darn thing exploded its oil fluid insides all over him and his bench. Thankfully it was a rather small burst and mostly dirtied his hands and tools. He swiped a white towel he kept nearby to clean up.

"I must say, I was quite disappointed with your warrior-troop showing up as they did," said the silky voice whose body was mysteriously forming out of shadows of his working lab area in the Avengers HQ. "Things were just getting...fun," the now fully formed body of Loki spoke, practically echoing everything the human had just thought.

"Sir, I am sure it has not escaped your notice exactly who has appeared. Shall I sound the alarm?" Tony casually put down the tools he was cleaning and wiped his hands free of mechanical juices.

"Actually, Jarvis, so long as he's in the as me room as me, Loki's a guest. Just make sure he's not accessing the mainframe at any time," he added, just to be safe.

"If you say so, sir," his AI butler merely said and signed off vocal abilities.

Loki mused appreciatively. "Clever. But did you really believe that I would try, if that was what I was after, and let you stop me?"

Tony pretended to think about it. "No, not really. Of course, that's merely a precaution since your presence has gotten much more tolerable as of late," he finished with a little grin.

"I'm flattered," his guest, if one was allowing such a liberal use of the word, dead-panned as he wiped a finger over the metal workbench and slowly circled his way to Tony. Everything about him was radiating mischief. And Tony was intrigued by it.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked, ever the hospitable host, trying to rein in his urge to brush a loose lock firmly behind the god's ear. It was an old habit of his; throw some witty words, splash a little alcohol, maybe flash his money and/or fame, make the hair move and, bam, whoever it was was his for the taking. Sharp eyes caught his focus.

"Please, you owe me owe since our first encounter on a true battlefield anyways," he said elegantly. It would make sense, after all, he was a Prince of Asgard.

"That is true," Tony agreed. "Although, I'm sure that I should be pointing out that it was a rhetorical suggestion at best, stalling technique at worst, so I'm afraid my offer was entirely insincere. Do you have a preference?" he asked lifting the three bottles he had stashed around here and Pepper hadn't found. Yet.

"And I was beginning to think you liked me," Loki said, making himself comfortable on the edge of his workbench. Apparently chairs were too commonplace. But at least Tony looked in time to see a glimpse of that pale, lithe, toned body hidden under all those layers stretch languidly with a sigh out of that mouth of his. He swallowed. "I'm sure you have nothing I am accustomed to, so do not try yourself too hard at pleasing me with your concoctions," he continued with only a hint of arrogance as if nothing had happened in that space of time.

"Is that a challenge?" he asked, pouring a scotch for himself, after a beat.

"No," Loki chuckled. It was a warm, dark sound that seemed to be stuck in his throat. Much milder than any supervillian's he had seen portrayed on TV. But then again, they were cartoons and this was real life. If he wasn't dreaming this all up, again. Loki liked to invade his dreams and pull shit like that. He couldn't look at oranges the same again. Or horses. Not that he had been a big fan of them before. "You love them too much and I do not fancy becoming inebriated tonight. I'll have whatever you're having,"

Tony smirked, filling another glass of the same to bring over. "I only aim to please. Ice?"

"I am quite aware of that," he drawled, eyes sparkling with amusement. Tony suddenly felt hot as he handed his guest his drink. "And, no. I prefer mine.._.chilled_," His fingers slid over Tony's as he accepted the container, brushing the human's skin softly with an icy chill; it was like a feather of snow drifted across. He shivered, shutting his eyes as the cracking of the abused glass echoed in the room from the sudden coldness.

"And you, Stark? How do you like yours?" his smooth voice was now at his ear, icy breath inside numbing it. God, if that was true, why did it feel like the hottest part of him, then? This wasn't supposed to be happening, not like this, and he had-

Loki's fingers curled around his jaw, pressing into the bone the coolness of his touch. He opened his eyes to the allure of his enchanting green ones. "I only aim to please," he simpered in a half-mocking tone. "But it is your turn, after all, I must follow your advances," he leaned in even closer and how the _hell_ could that be true? Tony gripped the hip bones of the body practically melded against him with his free hand for some support to stay upright, damn his knees.

"This may be the only time you shall find me so subservient to you. I suggest you take it," His words were a whispered promise full of sweet and delicious things if Tony would only say yes to him. But what was the price of the god of mischief's pleasure? His soul? His mind?

His heart?

"Oh, I know, and I will," he quickly assured him-what could he say, he was an impulsive man-turning to brush his nose against the skin of his cheek. "Believe me,_ I will,_ but let me savour this for a moment,"

"I thought Ironman was a man of action," Loki murmured, locking eyes with him in challenge.

Well. If _that's_ how he wanted to play.

Tony wiped his workbench clear of scattered diagrams and pieces of scrap metal, dropping his scotch with a satisfying crash on the floor in favour of plopping the god back on it forcefully. There will be more tumblers, and even more vintage scotch, but Loki was not so frequent a commodity. "I can do that," he grinned over him, turning unabashedly into a pleased semi-leer. "Would you like my action to take place here or in the comfort of my bedroom? I don't imagine metal workbenches are that luxurious, even for a god,"

"You are offering me a choice?" Loki gasped, blinking with a strange intensity. Tony found he didn't like it. At all.

"I don't know what you've heard, but I have a rep for mutually, kick-ass awesome, _consensual_ sex and nothing less," he said with minimal frowning. Loki still looked like he suspected Tony of pulling the rug from underneath him any minute now. His frown deepened to very unhappy levels. "Loki, tell me that no one forced you-"

"_Never_," he hissed venomously. "As if there was one such being to force a god to do anything he did not want, much less _me_. I am the one forcing others to do my bidding. Perhaps you have heard tales of my silver tongue?"

"Oh, yes," he joined the sorcerer on the table, pining him there beneath him. "I look forward to witnessing it first hand,"

"Mm," he breathed, raising his hands to above his head in a very submissive gesture. Tony found it very pleasing to see. "You won't be disappointed,"

His tongue in question flickered out playfully across his lips. "I'll have you know, it isn't the only..._flexible_ thing about me,"

"Oh, god," Tony whimpered, brain torturing him with all the visual ways he processed that information, muffling his face into Loki's chest.

"Praying to me already?" he tsked. "What little stamina you have, and we haven't even started the really fun part yet,"

Tony picked his head up at that. "Since, by the time I finish my tag of fucking you senseless, we both won't know how many points we've got, I'll give you 125 now for participating; 5 for me for declaring my tag, 50 for upping the stakes and 200 for my awesome sex skills underneath everybody's noses,"

"Fair enough," he shrugged, willing to expedite the process by not quibbling over the details.

"Now, you have five seconds to make your choice: here, or there?"

Loki pulled Tony by the hips into his groin, rubbing against his erection like he was in heat. Tony groaned pleasantly. "Here. I want you to fuck me _hard_ over this surface,"

"I like the way you think," Tony purred half-delirious with lust.


	3. Is it Me, Or is It Getting Serious

**For Evee: No one can resist the urge that is Loki, it is impossible with those eyes of his. And no worries, I do not mind at all lol ;P  
**

**Chapter Two: Is it Me, or Did Things Just Get Serious in Here?**

Oh, god.

He _slept_ with _Loki_.

He slept with Loki. He actually did it. Damn his competitive nature. What would Pepper-

Fuck his life. Pepper. He _cheated_ on _Pepper_ with Loki. How the hell was he going to explain that? Hey, Pep, you'll never guess who I did last night. Oh, no, don't freak out, it wasn't like that. Me and Loki had sex because of a game we're playing-and I'm winning!

Yeah, that would not end well.

"God damn it...Pepper," he sighed. Loki hummed his laugh and rolled over, popping his joints like he did this everyday-waking up on metal workbenches after a fantastic roll in the workshop.

"Give me this pepper's image and I certainly can for you, Stark. Though, it will cost you," he said lazily. Tony laughed. Gad damn him, what was _wrong_ with him that he could forsake Pepper like that and not feel guilty-and laugh?

Or, at least, not feel guilty enough to override the pleasure Loki brought into his systems.

"Pepper's my human assistant and do you always take everything so literally?" Oh, nice, Tony. Give the God of_ Lies_ a half-truth and then deflect. He was just really setting himself up for failure today, wasn't he?

"Of course not," he said, affronted-whether it was real or not, Tony had yet to be able to tell. "I would lose half the fun in running verbal circles around everyone else,"

Tony couldn't help but smile. He fought the urge to swipe at his cheek playfully, though. Another habit of his that he really shouldn't incorporate Loki into. The whole psychology thing about association. Way too intimate relations for conflicting parties which, ultimately, they were despite what happened last night. "Has anyone ever told you that you are arrogant as all hell?"

"Oh, yes," he responded, lowering the sound of his voice to a whisper and faking, this time, the abrupt change into strict seriousness. "Most often. Usually it is followed by 'Loki, you will never understand empathy and compassion nor any true, lasting happiness if you distance yourself through such means of ego'. To which, my usual reply is something like 'But, Father, it is not arrogance if I am capable of what I speak, it is merely bragging. Something that happens much more frequently wherever Thor dines and something that he is never chastised for',"

His face was bereft of any emotion and his voice remained remarkably even in his light-hearted jest. Nothing gave away the bitterness he was no doubt seething in. He never realised the extent of the mask he wore; it was incredible and terribly sad and familiar. Tony winced. Somehow, the lack of even a leak of emotion made it even worse. He couldn't even apologize in sympathy for his plight because of it.

He took a deep breath because things just got serious and that was never any good when it was just Tony before. "Listen, before you scoff it off or curse me for implying weakness or something, I just wanna say that, game or no game, if you ever want to blow some steam, or talk, I'm here, and I can be anything you need me to be. You know, within limits, of course," he daringly looked into Loki's eyes, trying to find the real him, trying to get to him with his actual surprising sincerity.

The blank face he wore was now awash with astonishment. His long fingers reached out to hold his face and Tony only remembered to breath when his anticipated touch arrived. Green eyes scanned him, searching for something like he just had, but only came back with wonder at whatever he did find. Stark only felt slightly uncomfortable at that thought; he wasn't ashamed of anything he did, he just wasn't sure if the Avengers' number one enemy should hold such information on him. But, turns out, he didn't really have much to worry about, in that regard, at least.

"I would never scoff an intelligent mind seeking to communicate with me," he eventually said, very soft and light like his hold. "Communion and fellowship with others was a central part of my-of Asgardian life. I have grown used to it, it is something I...miss."

Tony grabbed his hands and squeezed them once for a long moment, tugging them away to hold in front of himself. "I'm here," he whispered again, breath ghosting lightly over their hands if Loki's reaction of wide eyes was anything to go by. "I'm here for _you_."

Loki blinked rapidly. "Yes, I-" he tried to look away but was arrested by the sight of his hands in Tony's as if it was a marvel sight. Perhaps it was. Loki didn't give off the feeling that he was one for cuddling after one-night stands, much less hand holding. Weird. He wasn't either. He was going to chalk it up to the whole getting serious thing.

Loki returned to normal, or mostly normal. "You shall be ready at 5 p.m. For dinner at an undisclosed location," he commanded without his usual sense of flair or dramatics; very straightforward and bland, almost as if he was trying to imitate a computer. "60 points for me plus however long I can keep you unnoticed and 50 points for playing along. We shall talk then,"

He disappeared in a green flash and sighed. It wasn't like he _wasn't_ expecting it, but the God of Lies must have some _serious_ issues if he couldn't believe someone would want to talk to him or help him out without an ulterior motive of his own. Which made him wonder if he had one that he wasn't aware of...

Goddammit. He had forgotten about Pepper again! If he bought her a gift now, would that be too suspicious? Probably. He sighed again. His life was never going to be simple or easy, why did he suddenly expect it would be now?

"Jarvis," he called exhaustedly.

"Yes, sir?"

"Remind me to grovel and beg for Pepper's forgiveness,"

"Certainly, sir. Would that be before or after your apology gift?"

"After," he rolled off his workbench with a groan from his back and mouth. "Don't think I didn't see what you did there, snarky bastard,"

"I am only what you programmed me to be, sir. May I recommend an aspirin and heating pad for your back?"

"I think I'll take off for a massage, get the team to worry about where I am so Loki doesn't totally destroy me in points because of our little date,"

"Very good sir. I take it you will not inform Ms. Potts either?"

His heart pounded and he licked his dry lips. "No," he eventually decided, turning to leave. He was treating Loki like a dirty secret-which he was-but lying to Pepper meant he was a _serious_ dirty secret. And serious was bad because it never ended well, one, as evident by today, and that meant he was beginning to _care_ about Loki.

Well, shit.


	4. Getting to Know You

**Yay for irregular chapter lengths! Also, yay for random suit-wearing to venues that do not really call for suit-wearing. Also squared, here marks the beginning of where I mess a little with Asgard history and life to make Loki's past full of angst (though, quite a bit is true) Also times 3, thanks to the outpouring of support from y'all, it is truly amazing! And one last also for the Supernatural and Star Trek references (see if you can find them!). Okay, you can read now. Review because I love them!  
**

**Evee: You should know better than to try and goad answers out of me like that but...let's just say Tony may or may not be found out by Pepper and/or Avengers/SHEILD but he probably won't die. Maybe (Fury's a kinda a loose cannon). You'll just have to read and find out ;P  
**

**This chapter (and the next) title brought to you by a popular 'King and I' song.  
**

**Chapter Three: Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You  
**

Tony fiddled with his tie, his hands were too nervous to be of actual use. He donned the green one because it made him feel more comfortable for some reason that certainly wasn't because it was close to the same electrical hue as Loki's eyes. But now that he was wearing it, he suddenly realised that his suit might be too presumptuous for their little date.

He checked his Rolex watch, which he donned for another reason entirely that wasn't because he wanted to impress Loki. 4:59-not enough time to change. Damn, he was going to look dumb, wasn't he?

"My, you look sharp," he jumped around in time to see Loki-in a rather expensive sleek black Armani suit as well, _thank god_-check him out. "I dare say you clean up nicely,"

"Yeah, thanks. Uh, you look..." _like sex on legs_ his mind wanted to say while he desperately wanted it to shut up. He couldn't be thinking like this. Not about _Loki_. "What are you doing here so early?" Way to make him feel appreciated, Tony.

The quicksilver flash in his eyes made him wince. But Loki's smirk only grew. He took a step forward. "I reserve the right to be punctual. Do you need a hand?"

_I prefer your mouth_ was supplied by his ever so _helpful_ brain still stuck on gutter mode before he could really process what was said. Thankfully the rest of his body was being stupidly sluggish and couldn't respond as fast as his mind. "Uh, what?" Great, now he just sounded like a Neanderthal.

Loki's smirk twitched in barely contained laughter at him as he sighed exaggeratedly, crossing the remaining distance between them to retie his tie for him. "Honestly, Stark, I know you can be a brilliant man by Midgardian standards, but sometimes I truly wonder _why_ I bother with you-" He stopped suddenly, brows drawn in frustration and waved his hand to finish the tie with his magicalness. "I am flattered, though, by your choice,"

Tony snorted. "Please. Nothing holds a candle to you and you know it," he said and holy hell, why did his body decide _now_ was just a marvellous time of all times to cooperate? He chose now to spend the next moment admiring his complicatedly woven knot around his neck. Really, he didn't even know it was physically possible to tie a tie like that. It was so...impressive and elegant-

Loki coughed, drawing his attention. "Be that as it may, our food is getting cold," He snapped his fingers and teleported them to a lush green and gold world glittering with all things fair and bright. It took Tony's breath away. He knew at once this mystical place was far too ethereal to be housed on earth-much like Loki himself.

Well, _duh_. He mentally smacked himself in the head. He wasn't having a lot of luck today with the whole...brain thing.

"Are we on Asgard? Don't you think taking me to your childhood home is a little too forward for our first date?"

His teasing brought a painful smile to Loki's face and the ugly beauty of it made him begin to splutter apologizes. "No," he said softly, looking off in the distance as if he was seeing something Tony couldn't. ...Which was altogether likely when he thought about it. Damn. His brain really _was_ gone.

"You had a right to ask-to _know_," his hands tightened for a minute as if they wanted to make a fist and the wind seemed to pick up speed before he finally relaxed. Tony realised his lungs had been holding O2 hostage without alerting him to their decision in that moment.

"This _is_ Asgard-as created from the workings of my mind and sorcery. Even if I had wanted to go back to my...as you say, 'childhood home' with you, I have not the means and I daresay I would not be welcome any longer," his gaze turned cold and Tony quickly looked around for a distraction.

"Hey!" he cried, louder than necessary when he finally did find it. It jolted Loki. "What's with all of the food? I don't think that even Thor could make a dent in all this,"

Loki scoffed haughtily. "Thor's appetite for food is a mere pittance to his penchant for drink. _I_, after all, was the one who ate just as fiercely as _Logi_, the personification of wild-fire itself,"

"I guess you're also more into the sweets than he is, huh?" he asked cheekily, swiping his finger over the whipped cream topping on one of many fabulous looking pies. He popped it into his mouth and moaned appreciatively. It may be only magic, but Loki could cook up some fine magic treats. "Mm, bet that means you're the kinkier one, too,"

He made a disgusted face at that. "I sincerely hope you do not frequently visualize sex with my _not_-brother,"

Tony choked on the goblet of wine he started to sip on-Loki knew him so well. "_God,_ no. Sure, he's attractive for some and all, but doing him would be like doing the Cap," he shuddered, in case he didn't comprehend the total horror that would be, and put down his now drained cup. Plus, he was pretty sure that neither blonde knew anything about sex between men and he just didn't like teaching while fucking-took the whole point of it away. "Besides, I like my partners to have a certain..._thrill_ about them," he winked, in case he didn't comprehend the hint he was giving out. Not that he had anything to worry about once more. He and Loki seemed to be on par with most everything.

God in question raised an elegant eyebrow. "And do I meet your standards, _Mr. Stark_?"

Formal names for their formal wear, he could dig that. "You're the reason why they exist with such high expectations, _Mr. Laufeyson_," Because Stark wasn't an idiot, he did his research and made sure not to bring up the "not-family" as Loki put, otherwise they probably wouldn't be on such playful footing. Or, perhaps, any footing in his case if Loki was the type that liked to rip limbs off one by one in his anger.

Thankfully, he received merely a toothy smile in return. Good choice, Tony. "Shall we?" he gestured to the entire table laden with a great deal of tempting choices.

"Desert first?" he asked excitedly. He was allowed to be a child every now and again. Besides, it was his fault for pretty much setting up an entire build-your-own-sundae section. He was asking for it.

"What else?" Loki retorted, settling himself on one end with all the pies looking very much happy there. Right, Stark. Didn't we just establish the whole sweet-tooth thing?

Whatever. He had ice cream and sprinkles on his mind, it was excusable.

* * *

By the time he had created the ultimate sundae of his dreams, a despairing thought occurred to him. He looked up, horrified beyond all belief at the pure evilness of his thought, at the God sitting across from him with three empty pie plates between them. "Please tell me this isn't all made up in your mind so nothing is truly substantial and we're not _really_ eating any of this,"

"Do you truly think me that cruel?" he asked off-handedly, but Tony sensed a great well of anticipation hidden deep within him as if he really wanted to know Tony's answer.

So Tony answered honestly without seeming as if he cared. He figured Loki would expect that out of him, maybe even prefer it. "I wouldn't put it past you if you had the mind to prank someone who deserved it," he shrugged.

Loki stilled and eyed Tony like he eyed his next pie. Truth be told, he felt a little nervous. Then he cocked his head slightly. "Do you trust me?"

He was pretty sure that it was because of the sudden and intense intimacy of the question that something hit him hard in the stomach and took his breath away from him because he would forever deny that he let loose an involuntary "_yes_" as quiet as the wind filtering through the trees on his own accord.

Or maybe not, if it meant that Loki would preen like the way he was right now just for another moment longer. Everything seemed brighter in the world and greener for a second-_and how could he believe that a _place_ was more magnificent than Loki for even a _heartbeat_?_

But then the light dimmed and Loki carried on eating as if nothing happened. He cut into a new pie-chocolate-and regarded Tony with an aura of supreme smugness while Tony was still blinking as if someone had snatched away the sun from him after he had gazed upon it for minutes on end. "Well, you shouldn't," he said simply and that was that.

"You better eat that before I do-or it melts," he threatened, gesturing with his spoon inching closer as his warning. Tony shook his head to gather his wits and dug in as quickly as he could, sticking his ice-cream-covered tongue out at him in spite. Loki reached across, like the lunge of an attacking viper, and sucked his morsel off as clean as he did with the spoon.

"100 points to me," he cheered happily.

"Wait-_what_? How come? That's not fair!" he spluttered, crossing his arms. "It's not even your turn,"

"Ah," he corrected, holding a knowing finger up with a mischievous glint. "But this is still under my tag so anything I do is additional bonus points under the creativity clause that _you_ proposed, may I remind you,"

"Damn, I knew that was going to haunt me. Especially when you agreed to it so quickly," he muttered.

"Also, you offered the opportunity to me, so, alternatively, it could be considered as your tag that I cooperated in," he paused, and then added in a voice like velvet, "I am willing to give you 25 points in the name of sportsmanship, if you like,"

"Yes, thank you," Tony said politely, hoping it would help curry more favour. Never let it be said that Anthony Stark had no sense of decorum or manners-he simply couldn't be bothered to use them most of the time. "Remind me again, what are the details of your tag in the first place?"

Loki took a long sip from a nearby goblet, smacking his lips thoughtfully. If Tony didn't know any better, he would have thought the God was trying to stall for time to compose a response. "You seemed to be of the opinion that I needed someone to communicate with-to _confide_ in, and, as you are...not _entirely_ wrong and appear more than willing to put up with my antics and nature so far, I have great many athing to...get off my chest, as it were," he cleared his throat afterwards and looked down at his mostly untouched plate of chocolate pie.

And Tony waited for him to continue.

And waited some more.

"You know," he began after yet another awkward amount of time had passed, leaning in conspiratorially-like. "These things generally work best when there is actual talking being done."

"Shush, you," he said with only a mild glare, more like the glare of a kitten, but he did pick up where he left off. Tony, 1. Loki, 0. "I am preparing my life story. You will do well to cease mocking me,"

"Me, mock you? _Never_," he gasped. Glare turned up a few degrees. "Why, don't you trust me?"

Somehow he knew that the fierce, burning, heated look that crept into Loki's eyes wasn't _completely_ directed at him, or at least he hoped it wasn't. But it was fleeting, flickering back to normal-a warm, amused lime green instead of this brooding, Kelly green and no, he did not memorize the shades of the colour green charts to pinpoint Loki's eye colour; green just was his first choice for the Iron Man suit...-and tempered with something that looked like desperation. And Tony knew exactly what that looked like. A few months ago, he was in quite the pickle himself.

Any way, Loki seemed to have resolved whatever inner struggle he was going through and sighed with his shoulders. "You must understand, Stark, before I begin, that I have entrusted _no one_ with this knowledge and would be content to have it remain so _forever_ were it not painfully clear that I am ill-equipped to handle this by my lonesome. The pains and trials of Loki have always been the laughs of the many and the," he swallowed. "Utter _hell_ of the one."

"Yes, I get it. Anyone with half a brain knows you have issues," he waved off his melodramatics, wanting to get right to the juicy parts. The stuff he didn't know.

"Stark," he could hear very clearly how his throat closed up with agony and felt a little guilty over his hastiness. "Please do not make me regret this choice,"

"I'm sorry," he reached out and squeezed the hand he found. "Sometimes I say things before I realise it and sometimes these things make me sound like an insensitive ass when I don't entirely mean to be. Go on. I promise I won't say another word,"

Loki gave him a sideways glance as if he could tell that he most likely wouldn't be able to keep that promise and was debating whether or not it was really worth it again.

He took a deep breath and plunged in. "When every Æsir child is born, they are presented to Odin, the AllFather, whereupon he touches the child's forehead and sits upon his throne for three days and three nights to glimpse the child's future. When he has viewed enough or the time reaches completion, he returns the child and gives it its title. He tells no one but Frigga, his true wife, what he has seen and whether by magic or strength of will, she tells none. But," he closed his eyes, squeezing them tight for a minute and sighs. "For my birth, once rescued that is, he told not even her of the atrocities he must have seen and proclaimed me God of Lies and Trickery before the moon rose on the first night.

"From then on, my fate was sealed. For how could I live a normal, contented, _peaceful_ life when all treated me with caution-if not outright disgust and hatred-for the dark prince of Asgard?" he spat at the ground. Tony simply watched in rapt sympathy, biting his tongue for now.

"I believe I would not know what love is if I had been without Frigga's _incessant_ mothering," the small smile on his face softened the blow of his harsh-sounding words. "She loved me for some reason, despite my apparent cruel nature and, I suppose, Odin did too-when he was able to forget whose son I really was.

"I remember him trying to pretend like it wasn't obvious who he favoured. I know you think that I see this all in hindsight, but even then, as a mere child, I could feel the bitter pang I would deny for many years. Between my own denial and his attempts, he succeeded in blinding me from everything. Out of _love_, he says. For the good of Asgard, he says. But what _good_ is his falseness, what did he hope to accomplish with his _game_ of loving me when the only thing he could hide from me was my Jötunn heritage and the fact that he only took me for my potential political bargaining-chip power? What was the point he was trying to make? Why did he ruin my life?

"Why do I still _care_?" he dove his face into his hands and shook like a chihuahua on speed. It was too quiet for him to be sobbing, but Tony got up to comfort him anyway.

Well, the best that Loki would allow him to. He didn't think that the answers swirling around in his head to Loki's rhetorical and very angry questions would be welcomed very much. Like, maybe it wasn't a game and Odin really did love you in his fucked-up way of showing it and maybe he only said that because he didn't think you would simply accept that everything he did was out of love. And he definitely would not take too kindly to the thought that he still cared because, deep down inside, Loki still loved Odin like a father and missed him. He knew that because his father's own video confession still made him ache the way Loki was right now on a much smaller scale.

Damn, they really were quite similar.

"I'm a _monster_!" he half-cried, half-shrieked, flinging one hand out to stop Tony from coming any closer and shielding his face from view with the other. "I am that which has no heart. I am that which reigns over the nightmares of Æsir and mortals alike. I am that which would kill my own kin without mercy. I am he who would destroy entire realms; I am he who will unleash the Ragnarök!"

Tony pressed on, a silent frown marring his forehead as he peeled Loki's hand from his face. His trembling increased sevenfold, but he resigned himself to meeting his piercing stare with red-rimmed green ones.

"How can you _bear_ to look at the face of such evil?" he rasped.

Tony held his grim look with one of his own. "Once upon a time, there was a lonely boy desperate for his father's attention. He never felt worthy of his love or approval. Then, the boy's father died and he was placed in the care of one of his father's good friends. This man gave him the love and attention he had always craved, so the boy was willing to do _whatever_ it took to keep his love.

"Well, the boy grew up and caused the deaths of millions by his military inventions because of that-so many deaths that he was known as the Merchant of Death. People said that he didn't have a heart, that he could never have had a heart to begin with, too. Which is part of the reason why they also loved to hate him and tried to find any way to make him out to be some horrible person, but he simply played the part and preformed just as they expected him to-until the day his foster-father tried to have him killed. Twice.

"The young man survived on pure luck and genius alone, and because of his trials, learned and continues to learn many important lessons. Not the least of which was learning his true purpose in life and how to find his heart.

"His name was Tony Stark," he let Loki digest his story in patient silence. It was probably the longest time Tony had sat still in his entire life.

"Loki-" he finally said once some normal colour came back to the God.

"Yes?" he murmured, sounding like he was still mulling over a lot of things.

"I'm going to kiss you now, and the both of us are going to forget about whatever issues we may have for the next...hour or so, okay?"

"Yes," he hissed, much more alive after his declaration. He turned to face Tony finally, green eyes glinting with the need for distraction. "I like that idea _very_ much."


	5. Wondering What it All Means

**Contains the dubious consent I warned about, but as this is T and I'm not writing all the dirty sex scenes, it's more of a '...oh, that's what she meant' kind of thing. Also, if you can't tell between myth-truth and myth-mucking-about, this is myth-mucking-about-totally-made-up, all of it :D  
**

**To Ever: your response was very touching in of itself, I'm just so glad people really seem to like this. And, again, this chap is a bit long but should update a lot quicker from here on out so less waiting for you ;P  
**

**This next chapter title inspired by a popular 'King and I' song, changed my mind about this one.  
**

**Chapter Four: Wondering What it All Means  
**

Loki moaned from his plastered-on-top-of-Tony position, rolling on his side, as said man beneath him worked on catching his breath. "We squashed my last pie," he said mournfully. Tony gave a breathless laugh.

"Can't you magic yourself some more?"

He got a weak glare in return. "My energy stores have recently been depleted, in case you forgot-thus my suffering of no next source of energy to replenish them,"

"Is that all I am to you?" Tony fake-pouted, sitting up. "An energy-depletor/amusement-generator?"

Loki looked at him and then at the ground, taking the question seriously for some reason. "I do not think it is so," he might have said before rolling off the table entirely to collect his clothes.

"I think we've done this long enough that you know you don't have to _immediately_ take off like my other conquests," he teased. Or tried to at least.

Loki stiffened. "Is that all_ I_ am to you? Another notch on your belt?"

"Maybe, maybe not," he shrugged. "What's it to you? You're the one who started the whole game thing, I'm just playing along as long as it still is fun," Which was a total lie because he was only playing along until either Loki gets tired of him/the game or something equally as bad or worse happens. He just couldn't find a way to make his mouth say that at this moment. Or anything he really meant, it appeared.

Green eyes flashed to that angry Kelly shade. "You think you can use me for your own advantage, too, Stark?" he hissed dangerously low.

He snorted and couldn't stop himself once more. He could literally feel horror at his words sink in as he spoke them. "I don't think, I _know_. Because I _have_,"

The God appeared to be on the verge of gnashing his teeth and spitting at him. But then he calmed himself down, somehow, blinking. "You are being an ass," he stated. "You do not mean such things,"

Holy shit, Loki actually _listened_ to him and could read him already. He didn't know whether to be flattered and impressed or scared for his life and the success of his team because that could _not_ be good for them. "Try telling that to Pepper," he muttered.

Whoops. Let's hope Loki doesn't-

Yeah, no. Didn't seem like luck was on his side since Loki got all riled up again. And Stark knew better, he really did. But even with knowing better, it _still_ looked like Loki had been riled up into a _jealous_ fury. "You have spoke before of a Pepper. Who is she?" he growled and Tony could safely say this was the most scared he had ever been in his life.

The answer just fell out of his mouth. He couldn't tell if it was because he felt so guilty about it or if he was magically compelled to, but the answer was the God-honest truth. "Pepper's my girlfriend."

It suddenly got hard to breath and Loki actually looked hurt and betrayed for a second. But that might have been his imagination. He had a very well-developed one, after all.

Yeah, it probably was. It had to be. Projection of his own disappointment about himself or something like that.

"You cheated-you cheated _with_ me?" he gasped, shaking his head in disbelief. "You made me a-" he couldn't even finish, pressing his hand to his forehead as if in real pain.

"Listen, Loki," he jumped down to walk over to him. "It's really not a big deal. It's my problem, anyway, you don't have to-"

"_Not_ a 'big deal'?" Loki repeated incredulously. "Stark. Do you not understand what you have _done_? I do not think I can forgive you for this!"

Now that made him mad. "Forgive me-?" but Loki was already gone by the time he said anything and he was back in front of his mirror and suit like their date had never happened in the first place.

Well, except for the fact that his tie went missing.

* * *

It was as if Loki had disappeared from the planet altogether. No pranks, no plots, no explosions, no walking statues, no dream walking, no house calls, nothing; no one had seen hide or hair of him, much less heard anything. And Tony was _pissed_.

At first.

But when days turned into weeks with no one to hate, his anger sort of fizzled out in place of worry. What if Loki had gotten captured or was badly hurt, maybe even hurt_ing_-because Tony was physically and emotionally unable to handle the thought of him being dead at this point-and he thought Tony wasn't going to try and rescue him? What if Loki thought their little argument meant that Tony was picking Pepper over him? What if it wasn't an argument and they broke up everything? But, then, why wasn't he out rampaging the town or something in revenge?

Tony sighed with all the breath in his lungs as he merely toyed with his mechanical parts; even his robots seemed mopey. He was almost desperate enough to go and ask Thor about how _relationships_ work in Asgard. And wasn't that saying something? Tony Stark, renowned playboy, was one step away from _asking for help_ in order to fix his relationship with someone equally if not more damaged than he was. And Pepper-

God, _Pepper_. It was time to face the facts. Loki wasn't his dirty secret-Pepper was.

"Jarvis," Tony sighed, kneading his forehead. "Alert the team that I'm going to be out shopping. They'll probably be glad that I'm actually out of the workshop," he added to himself. JARVIS seemed to understand that he didn't want a reply.

* * *

Steve walked into the living room full of desolate and bored looked heroes all lounging around the television, watching listlessly as Clint shuffled slowly through the channels. He inwardly sighed. They were all turning into Tony. Speaking of, he counted every one in the gang but their loud-mouth suit-wearer.

"Where's Stark?"

"He went out," Natasha answered him sounding extremely bored; like the rest of them, they were all used to high-stake missions-Bruce more than all of them. Still, Steve pointedly did not roll his eyes at her helpfulness.

"Out _where_, doing _what_?" Knowing Tony, he was probably starting trouble.

"He didn't say. Shopping," she listed. Oh, well, he didn't think too much harm could come out of shopping even in this decade. "Can you move now?"

Steve did pointedly roll his eyes, but he sat down on a free piece of couch leftover from their sprawling bodies.

"If we're _not_ going to watch the tele-whatever," he said after an obligatory moment of soulless watching along with everyone else. "Can we at least not-watch the news or something educational? Even Thor and _Dr_. Banner groaned and he could have sworn that Clint muttered something like "old grandpa can't even call it right". His ears reddened but he didn't say anything more. Clint eventually complied, probably too bored to do anything else.

"Thanks, Joe, for that good news. I can certainly see the sunshine today. In other news, there has been a recent study linking adrenaline to affection. Scientists have discovered that small amounts of the hormone released in the presence of or because of someone regularly can increase the likelihood of a long-standing, committed relationship by up to 30%. And-" the anchorwoman put a finger to her ear. "Breaking news. It appears as if Tony Stark is being held captive by Loki...in a Bulgari jewellery store. All other citizens are leaving the premise-apparently Loki is only after Anthony S-he has left a message to the Avengers quoted as following: 'If you wish Stark to be returned alive and not in...pieces, do not interrupt us'.

"We now go to live video feed."

Loki slammed Tony in a choke hold against a wall outside of any camera's vision that appeared and no one would be allowed to come closer than 100 yards thanks to his force field around the area. This was going to be as private a discussion as he could make it. Tony coughed stale air with a modicum of visible fear, hands instinctually scrambling to break his hold. It made him grin.

"Listen, _Stark_," he said snidely. "I have come to the conclusion that you truly do not know the extent of your injury to my honour,"

"I could have told you that," he wheezed, gulping in air. "But it's a little hard when I'm in a chokehold,"

"Shut up," he snapped, but loosened his hold. Stark's eyes held a sheen of gratitude which made him feel a little ill. "On Asgard, only the unattached are permitted to be so free with their indiscretions. Even I respect when a potential lover has made a commitment due to the high esteem of this custom. Regardless of how serious the relationship, it is always announced before Odin and all company. Therefore, every party is guilty when involved in such business-meaning, the cheater _and_ his accomplice.

"For a great many millennia, I took comfort in the knowledge that, no matter what I have done, I have never nor will ever sink so low as to break this great offence," he paused, turning away to collect himself for a moment before his bright eyes returned and stabbed Tony with guilt so hard, he was sure he was bleeding internally. "Do you _see_ what you have _done_? Do you see how you've _destroyed_ me?"

"But... you didn't know," he said weakly, trying for any reason to assuage some of the pain Loki must be feeling.

Loki scoffed tiredly. "It matters not that I did not know," he released Tony and Tony slumped to the ground. "It matters that I _did_ the act. Because of my nature and reputation, they will believe it all the more true,"

For a moment, right than and there, Tony saw how clearly he broke the God before him in the slight droop of his shoulders and the deaden colour of his eyes. He took his only defence against the pain of his heritage, the lies and disapproval of his father, being ostracised from the community he grew up in, the abandonment of his real people, and everything else that haunted him, and...destroyed it, as he said. From what he could tell, he had just doomed Loki to a lonely and bitter life if ever he return to Asgard. And it really was all his fault. Because he was so self-destructive, he made sure nothing good for him lasted. He pretty much ruined his relationship with both Loki and Pepper in one go and at least caused a lot of hurt for their lives too. Way to go, Tony.

Well, there was only one thing he could do to fix things. He just hoped it would work.

"Loki," he called, voice rasping. Loki turned back to him ever so slowly. "I want you to-punish me for...what I've done. I _need_ you to," he ended softly.

He didn't find any comfort in the grim smile that appeared. "This will hurt," he purred, looking his body up and down.

"It had better," he whispered to no one. He sorta deserved it. Plus, he wasn't sure what it would mean if Loki took it easy on him.

* * *

A few hours later, Tony limped back into headquarters and was immediately swamped by various members of the Avengers and their questions.

"My _god_, Stark, what did he do to you?" rang out the clearest from their good, old, Captain. He waved their concern off.

"He didn't do _anything_," he lied, directly avoiding Thor's eyes. "You should have seen the elbow on this one woman when she found out about the store-" he shut up when Natasha gently swiped her thumb over his jawline; words escaped out in a pained hiss instead of actual words. He jerked out of her touch with a miffed glare. He could have lied his way out of this, eventually, had it not been for her and she knew it.

"Uh-huh, nothing alright. It looks like he did a whole lot of _something_," her eyes guessed at Loki's punishing path from his jawline down to his hemline-and _damn_ was she remarkably close-with a hard glint to them like she had experienced this before.

"What did he do?" she asked in a quieter tone. No room for playing around, Tony, that was her serious voice. It must have sent Clint a memo reading 'something bad just happened and we can't have a broken or damaged Iron Man, so he needs to fess up for the good of the team. Now.' since he stepped right beside her and crossed his arms pointedly after that.

"Nothing, he did nothing!" he half-screamed in frustration. Thor stepped forward in concern and he recoiled immediately, remembering Loki's warning about his brother being able to sense his magic on his skin. And since Loki had done an impressive job healing or covering up most of the injuries he had caused...well, shit would go down and they already thought the worst-which was only half-true and barely at that. So, he really couldn't be blamed for the fact that he let loose a panicked, "No! Don't touch me-don't even come near me." The only problem was that everyone took that as proof of whatever they came up with as what happened.

"My brother..." Thor began sadly. "Loki has never resorted to-he used to have such a high code of honour,"

"He still does," he snapped because, boy, did _that_ experience still smart against his conscience and Loki would never let him live it down if he _didn't_ defend him-to Thor of all people-after just being punished pretty much for that.

He sighed, wiping a hand down his face. "Look. If I just tell you guys something, will you leave the whole thing alone?" he didn't wait for an answer. "I was being a jerk-more than a jerk, an ass-and I," he swallowed thickly, trying to phrase it so it would be believable but without giving anything a way. "Said something that really set him off. He didn't violate me or steal my innocence or anything like that, he just wasn't completely...kind in what he did to me, so I'm a little sore. But, regardless of what he did or did not do, I deserved it. I deserved all of it and, frankly, he let me off easy in my opinion. So, before you try anything else, there's someone else I have to go apologize to for being an ass,"

He stomped through the crowd and slammed the door shut on them. They just let him. He wasn't sure what that meant and he kicked himself before his paranoia could get the best of him. He had to have a clear mind for what he was about to do.


	6. Getting to Like You

**More than halfway through guys...what are we going to do when it all ends? :'(  
**

**This is what her necklace looks like (second image): blog. hello-rolex /2010 /11/ chopard-wins-two-awards-in-bahrain .html without the spaces in case you were wondering.  
**

**To Evee: Actually this all started with a dream ;P, but yes, you're right and you make my day, I always look forward to your insight As for Loki...well *points down* we will see about him but I understand, Loki!feels are a big part of this story. And heartbroken is a fine choice, he put his trust in Tony if you remember and he's not the type to do that easily. Once more, I thank you, I'm so happy that you've enjoyed this since it is my duty to service the world *bows*  
**

**This is the other chapter title inspired by a popular 'King and I' song for real this time ;P  
**

**Chapter Five: Getting to Like You, Getting to Hope You Like Me Too  
**

"Tony?" Pepper asked, rising from her CEO chair at her CEO desk in her CEO outfit but with that same vulnerable and open expression in her eyes. Maybe that was part of the reason he chose Loki; he could never be content without a little mystery, without having to work and fiddle and tweak at the relationship and all around be kept on his toes.

No, that wasn't fair. It wasn't Pepper's fault that he got bored easily and they had stopped being something to work at a month into their dating. They were easy after that. Everything was a little too easy after that...

"What are you doing here? You should be at a hospital or-or a _hospital_. God, Tony, at least sit down!"

"No," he said softly, shaking his head as he stepped closer to his old desk. "I need to talk to you,"

"Tony, please sit down. You can still talk while you sit," she begged. He couldn't say no to her. Not after all that she has been through-what he put her through. He sank more gratefully than he wanted to admit, playing nervously with his hands and the weird desk objects she had nearby like the last time he was here when he thought he was dying. He would bet that that was on her mind as well since she so grimly waited for him to say something, hands folded tightly in front of her and shoulders set harsh as if preparing to carry whatever verbal weight he was going to lay upon her.

"Pep," he began. "I haven't been completely honest with you and I wanted to soften the blow with a gift first," He pulled out the decent-sized box from the large bag he had carried in and set by his feet that she only now noticed-the very same item he had just completed buying when Loki showed up. Pepper scoffed at his mistaken-world-views until she caught the name and gasped as she accepted it.

"Tony. You were in that store because of _me_?"

"Please don't think of it like that, you'll hate me for it later," he whispered meekly.

"I can't hate you, Tony. If I did, I would have quit years ago. I'm not about to start now," she said in her softest and kindest voice yet today. He winced inwardly.

"You just might," he mumbled. She peered at him for a moment, scrutinizing him, and opened the lid.

"Oh my god, I've been eyeing this for _ages_-Tony, how did you know?" Pepper literally shook with delight, fingering the elegant emeralds showcased in dripping point by diamonds almost in an inverted fleur-de-lis pattern. It was introduced nearly a year ago and won best oriental design and only just been settled for public demand at the highest price. While it was dazzling, and complimented her skin tone nicely, her heart was set on it not for its beauty-but for its craftmanship akin to purported copies of the Heart of the Ocean and the Hope Diamond and the everlasting love it signified through the Titanic.

"I do pay attention every once in awhile," Tony's lips curled without really meaning to. He got up and helped her clasp it around her neck.

"It looks perfect on you," he breathed once he returned to his seat for a good view.

She smiled as she touched the centre jewel, practically glowing. But she didn't preen as well as Loki did. "Alright, I think your little bribe worked. I can handle anything you throw at me now,"

"First, promise you won't judge me until it's all over,"

"Done,"

"And you have to stay as CEO. I need you, and not just so I put off all the boring business stuff onto you. You are important to me, Pep, and I can't bear having you so angry at me that you'd quit and leave forever. I can't handle that, I'm not strong enough-"

"Tony," she reached out and squeezed his hand. "You are stronger than you think. And I promise not to leave, ever,"

"Alright," he accepted, pulling his hand away. The touch of her kindness burned and not in a good way. He didn't deserve it-that was his punishment from her since he already had Loki's. He took a shaky breath. "Okay. Here goes: I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I did. You don't deserve being treated this way and it's not your fault. It's all me, all my doing. I fucked up,"

He could tell Pepper wanted him to hurry up and just say what he meant to say, so he took another breath and dove right in. "I cheated on you."

There was an extremely uncomfortable tense moment when nothing was said. Then, in a tightly controlled voice, "Who was she?"

He swallowed. "It-It wasn't with a she..."

"Okay," she nodded as if she was negotiating a business deal and taking in some notable information. It was how she dealt with tough things, how she dealt with _him_. "How many times?"

"Just to be clear, you mean how many times we had sex, right?"

"Don't play games with me, Tony," she said with a hint of coldness, but she really meant 'stop being an ass'. Loki said his mind and called him on his bullshit in a way Pepper never did, not that she didn't do it sometimes. But Loki was just different somehow. "_How many times_?"

He sighed. "I don't know...at least three or four times. But we started fooling around like a few weeks ago,"

"I see," she folded her hands. "Now, is this something serious or are you just blowing steam with him? Did it mean something to you?"

"Yes, I-" he licked his lips. "He _does_ mean something to me," It was more than a bit of shock to him and he was the one saying it. Wow, where did that come from?

She blinked owlishly at him. "You're planning to continue this...affair, then." Not a question this time. But Pepper knew him, so she probably wasn't expecting an answer.

"If he'll have me," he said and then winced at his poor form and word choice. Pepper's face squished in a way that couldn't have been comfortable. "I mean, we kinda barely just got over a big argument," he stared at the floor for awhile.

She hesitated. "Do you need to talk about it?" she offered very quietly, very reluctantly.

"God, Pepper," he jumped back up to her gaze. "Even if I wanted to, even if I could talk to you about it, I _couldn't_ do that to you," This whole situation was reeking of so much dysfunction right now. Here he was, talking to his five-seconds-fresh ex-girlfriend-perhaps the _only_ stable relationship he had-about someone else. It couldn't be healthy for either of them.

She shrugged, trying to pull off nonchalance although Tony knew better. "You need me," was her simple explanation for her motives. "Do I get to know who your new boyfriend is, at least?"

He could pull off a half-smile now, one that was sympathetic but not too full of pity and guilt. "I'm sure you already know. You know me so well, after all,"

"Yes," Pepper said sadly, fingering her necklace. "Yes, I'm afraid I do." He was sure that was the end. Her tone had the sense of finality in it. So, he got up to leave and made it nearly out the door before she called him back.

"Just-" he turned around at her pause and saw her smile weakly at him. Oh, Pepper. "Be careful, okay? We already know how easily he could hurt you,"

Okay. He may have said that she knew who it was, and he didn't doubt that she did because she was that amazing, but he didn't think that it was _that_ obvious that Loki and he had a...thing. Maybe it was just timing and coincidence. Well, he did clue her in with the argument thing earlier. Dammit, Tony. He just hoped no one else knew or figured it out yet. He wasn't ready to deal with Fury on this like...ever, not in a million years would he be ready.

"It would take a really good effort to get him mad enough to even get close to what he did today-I think I'm good," Considering what it did take to get him that furious was something he couldn't break again.

"I meant with your heart. There's only a handful of people that you've actually cared about for more than a one-night-stand type and you loved all of us deeply in your own way,"

Damn, Pepper. She _really_ knew him. He shuffled his feet awkwardly. "You weren't supposed to know. I haven't even told him yet," he barely said out loud.

"You said it yourself, I know you too well. And I think you should. Tell him. I think he needs to hear it-and not just from you,"

"Yeah," he mumbled thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're probably right," he left the room after that, his thoughtful expression turning bright with an idea the last thing she saw before the door closed with a soft click. Pepper put a hand to her forehead and took a deep breath.

"I wish I wasn't," she told her quiet tears and shaking shoulders. "I really wish I wasn't,"

* * *

Tony had a heck of a time finding all of the spices the book said was required for a proper offering to a God and since no one apparently knew the specifics for trying to appease Loki as he wasn't as popular as Thor-wow, big surprise there-he just grabbed a pie for the one he lost and some other things that were sweet enough to match Loki's odd taste buds. He caught Thor sniffing around with a confused expression so he hurried into his lab room where the spontaneous combustion of something didn't always set off the smoke alarms.

He tossed the last ingredient-pixy stix-onto the pile he made and lit it on fire. He bowed before it, just like it said but feeling very much foolish for doing so already. He wasn't even sure that it would work aside from Thor's semi-awareness of it. "I offer to you this small tithe in your honour, that you may grace your humble worshipper with your magnificent presence and kick-ass body so that he may worship you in the way your bright eyes deserve. Amen or whatever,"

So, he went a little off the script, sue him.

"You know, that doesn't work," a husky voice answered and he had to fight the big grin that wanted to appear in order to stay the picture of cool and suave despite whatever was swirling in his stomach from his arrival.

"Oh, yeah?" he remarked casually, standing up with a pop of his joints. "Then how come you're here?"

Loki shook his head and raised an eyebrow. "You amuse me," he said and then curled his lips into a sexy smirk. "And your offer of worship...intrigued me,"

"Shall I get on my knees before you, my lord?" he pantomimed the act and tone of deference, playing into the fact that Loki liked dominating things be it world, people, or his not-brother, but kept his purely-Stark smirk. "Does this please you my king?" He heard Loki gasp as he nuzzled his face into his groin. Hands dug deep and pulled at the strands of his hair, bringing him back to his feet.

"What is with you today? Are you ill?" he asked in something so close to concern that it hurt Tony to hear. "First, you call to me through the ancient means that not even your ancestors centuries past have used. Then you do-you act...not like yourself," he ended awkwardly.

Tony deflated and leaned into the warmth of his personal space, not daring to actually lean on him. That would be too much for the both of them. "I just want...to make you happy. If only for one day," he mumbled quietly. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't see how vulnerable he had become. He wouldn't deny that he had feelings, and that he definitely had _some_ for Loki, but he hated how they exposed him. And to Loki of all people. He was taking a major risk trusting Loki with this part of him. He couldn't think about just himself in this case, he had the world to think about.

He trembled softly under the conflicting pressure of what he felt for Loki as a man and what he should feel towards Loki as Iron Man. But it was too late now. He had gotten too close, allowed himself to get to close. And he suspected that Loki did too. God, he hoped he did. He didn't want to be alone in this. Whatever they were right now and whatever they would be-if they got that far, he didn't know how to deal with it if Loki wasn't with him every step of the way.

A hesitating hand began to apply the faintest amount of touch to bring him smooth against the whole of Loki's body. "Against my better judgement," he dipped his head to whisper in his ear, rubbing against him in a slow familiar way. He felt his skin heat up again as hope flared within him.

"I think that I'd like that very much. But-" he gripped Tony's chin so that they met eyes seriously and Tony_ burned_ with need. He couldn't explain in words just _why_ this side of Loki made him so very horny.

"No poor role-playing performances like what I just saw. I-" he swallowed. "I want you as you are,"

Tony nodded, too grateful and shocked with relief for words at all. Even the silver-tongue God found words to be difficult. So, hand in hand, Tony pulled him up into his room and made love to him for the first time.

And, yes, Loki was with him every step of the way.


	7. Tony Stark Has a Heart

**Guys! This is the SECOND to LAST chapter! Review before it's too late!  
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**Also, Pepper back by popular demand! Haha, jk, there wasn't a demand...  
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**To Kaoschild: Yes, I quite agree, MOAR REVIEWZ PLZ! lol about the chapters...see note above ^_^  
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**and my lovely Evee: I know, Pepper is in pain too. I tried to make her realistic-she loves Tony, but knows she has to let him go so she tries to stay strong when he's around not to make him feel more guilty than he needs to be because she understands just how hard this was for him as she goes through her own grief. Phew...anyway, thank you for all your reviews, they are wonderful themselves. I accept your cookie and offer you this chapter...  
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**Chapter Six: Tony Stark Has a Heart  
**

Loki pulled his disappearing act again after that and Tony figured it safe to assume Loki was having another minor freak out again. Not that Tony could blame him. He had nearly a week to really get used to the idea of their odd relationship and what it truly meant to him and he still wanted to do something crazy to get his mind to stop obsessing over it. Unfortunately, he simply wasn't hardwired that way. He _couldn't_ just forget about something or someone so tricky and challenging that it puzzled his great mind. No, he had to constantly analyze this shiny new substance, person or word/feeling as the case may be.

So, while he waited, blessed by some higher power with temporary unlimited patience-he was starting to freak out his fellow Avengers with how zen he became; seriously, he was practically rivaling good ol' Brucey-he agonized in a horrifyingly pleasurable way about the enigma that was Loki and his relationship with him. And when he wasn't donating brain power to necessary involuntary functions, or dissecting every memory to find out where it all went wrong and how, he was trying desperately hard to not act like a twelve-year-old-girl who just got asked out by the dark, artsy, forbidden-romance kind of guy who also just happened to be the same guy she had a long-time crush on. Of course, dwelling on his in-depth comparison didn't help much. He could feel himself blushing already from imagining what a _mortal, teenaged Loki_ would like.

His thing for leather would probably stay, so across those elegant shoulders would rest an expensive leather jacket. He would probably be dressed to the nines in black-maybe a splash of emerald on a good day. Steel-toe boots with a bit of heel because Loki loved to lord over people with his height since he couldn't do it as impressively as Thor in musculature; laces done tight because he was anything but messy for the Nnorse equivalent of a God of Chaos. His long legs would be stitched into the smallest pair of skinny jeans the world could find which would not hide the fact that he was packing muscle in the only place that counted but still mislead you in believing those skinny sticks of his had no power._ God_, he could remember the feel of them wrapped around him tight-he could kill a man in a headlock with those things.

No horns, though, they were garish already. No, but maybe a few golden studs in his pale ears as a replacement, half hidden by his long hair that curled so adorably at the ends to frame his angular face. And a nose ring to sell his rebel look even further, _oh,_ and an eyebrow ring-fuck yeah, he should totally convince Loki to get one _for real_, especially since he wouldn't put anything sharp near his mouth for obvious reasons. Oh, and just a touch of kohl around his eyes to make them pop otherworldly in the only way humans knew how to do to try and capture the essence of his eyes now.

_Holy_ _shit._ _Why_ the _fuck_ did he have to be so _gorgeous_ as a human?

"Stark. Stark...Tony-look, man, I know this is technically your place and all, but could you, I don't know, have your sex dreams someplace _not_ at the breakfast table?" Clint's voice broke through his visualizing just when he finally got to the good part: teenager-Loki was just about to get his freak on with teenager-female-cheerleader-Tony, complete with the outfit and pom poms. this was so going on his RP list.

"What?" he asked, absentmindedly wiping away any drool he may or may not have from the corner of his mouth and off on his pants. He had really only tuned in enough to hear that he was being addressed by his company.

"Your noises that are most appropriate for one's bedchambers are most disquieting, man of Iron," Thor submitted helpfully, munching around a few pop-tarts.

"Ah, I see," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry,"

"I think we'd accept that if you told us who it was that caused you to turn back into an unrestrained teenager," Natasha grinned.

Normally, Tony would have grinned lecherously right back and make some comment about how he knew she always wanted in on his sex life. That's probably what she was looking for to check if he was normal and not on drugs or something. But he wasn't and he hadn't felt like it since Loki left. Everything was a bit off without his presence, like he was missing his confidence or something equally important. He looked down as the flush of red crawled up his neck.

"Uh, it wasn't about anyone. Certainly not anyone we know," he rattled off. He could feel their concerned gazes. Hell, he was giving himself one. Way to sound convincing, Tony, they totally believed that. "Yeah, so...I'm just going to go leave now," he said as he stood up and made his way into his workplace.

_God, Loki, please get over this soon or come visit me so that I can help you work this out and we can all go back to normal-or our new version of normal..._

He ended up staying in his lab for the next few days, doodling pictures of him and Loki-mostly Loki-and it was the first time he wished he had Steve's girly talent. He sighed, spilled over his work bench lethargically, pushing a pencil back and forth with what little energy he had left. He had no inspiration to even tinker with making Loki-clones or something. He didn't want to do anything.

Is this what liking someone was like? Everything bright and perfect and wonderful when you were together but soul-sucking when you weren't. It didn't sound too pleasant. Why was everybody all gung-ho for it? But then he remembered-

"Tony, you're making everybody worry-"

Tony scrambled to cover up and hide what the incriminating evidence of what he had been doing, but he was so deep in thought, he didn't realize how close his intruder was. He had barely enough time to put his papers away and stand up to use his body as a cover for those he couldn't before she caught sight of him and his rather cluttered desk area.

"Pepper! Ah, what brings you down here? Don't you have a company to run?" he winced at how harsh that sounded, but she only smiled.

"I do, but I'm unfortunately friends with a certain irresponsible Avenger who has locked himself in his room and refused contact or meals,"

"Yes, how terribly irresponsible of him or her. You should check on whoever it is right away and stop dawdling with me," he managed to bunch some of his drawings even more out of sight while he spoke without it looking like a desperate action. "I bet it's the Captain, there's no way he adjusted that easily and quickly to this time. Or maybe Hawkeye, he's got the whole rebel vibe and Loki managed to brain-whammy him so there's no telling what he might do.

"Then again, Natasha totally faked working with us and I don't like her so she must be up to something,"

Her smile grew more amused and slightly sad. "That's because she outsmarted you,"

Tony scoffed. "That's one theory,"

Pepper stepped forward, looking around her as she came a foot or two away from her boss and ex-boyfriend. He sweat-dropped inwardly. "Well, you sound like your normal self and your place isn't a complete mess, so that leaves only one thing..." she gave him a piercing stare, the one she used for particularly difficult entrepreneurs and board members or Stark. "What are you hiding, Tony?"

"Absolutely nothing," he deadpanned and he was so sure that he would have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for those meddling kids. And by kids, he meant the very damaging evidence of a Loki drawing that floated to her after his abrupt swinging hand motion of denial. He sighed as she bent and reached to pick it up.

"What's this?" she asked and then gasped as the answer became obvious to her.

"It's nothing really," he mumbled as she pushed past him to see all the others still on his desk. "Just a bit of boredom is all,"

"So you two really are together," she said, mostly to herself. "Tony, these are beautiful," she insisted, to him.

"Not really," he grumped, overly critical of his work like always, moving to order them into a neat pile now that he had the time. Contrary to popular opinion, he liked order just as much as chaos. His OCD was a bit of an on-off thing really, in that regard. More like anal-retentive, but he was billionaire enough to hold a few eccentric qualities. "It's far too analytical-like I'm picking him apart and giving an objective view. But that doesn't capture the light of his eyes or how they sparkle when he smiles, or how the line of his lips say as much about him as his mouth does. These can't show you efficiently enough how much I-" he cut himself off, ceasing all motion as if that could take back what he had just been about to say. Because it couldn't be true. It just couldn't.

"You love him," Pepper finished for him in a whisper of awe, though she had to have known. She was always better at this than he was. "You really love him,"

Could she stop saying that? He wanted to pretend that it wasn't true so that things could go back to normal, where he didn't feel things that made his stomach fluttery for Gods that were his enemies and he couldn't do that if she kept throwing it in his face.

He slumped. "Can we please not talk about this, anything else-anything at all-just please_ not_ about my little semi-unrequited _crush_,"

She shook her head at his immaturity, but it wasn't like she expected him to have a handle on it yet. It would take at least three more days from what she could tell. "Did you ever draw me?" she asked instead.

Not much better of a topic, but still...anything was better than dealing with his...crush.

"Pep," Tony said softly. "Of course I did. Granted, it was mostly during the time I thought I couldn't have you and believed in the hopelessness of a cure, so they're a little dark but-" he reached into a hidden drawer and pulled out a single piece of paper with a reverent touch. "I kept one," he breathed as he handed it to her as if scared to ruin it.

It was a picture capturing a single moment in time so realistically, she almost thought she was holding a mirror. Of course, she knew that wasn't true because the Pepper in the "mirror" wasn't doing everything that she was. Instead, she had a stern expression on her face, going through a stack of items telling her what needed to be done-memos on top of memos that still invaded her nightmares from time to time-and things that needed Tony to sign and look over. A sharpened pencil was tucked behind one ear, causing her neat hair to allow a few wisps to fall into her face and highlight the freckles that looked like they had been lovingly placed. She could almost sense a glow in her eyes. But the most beautiful thing about her portrait, is that she knew with 100% certainty that she had never seen Tony draw anything at any time that wasn't a blueprint or sketch of his inventions. so this image before her had to be constructed out of memory alone and maybe a hint of imagination.

"Can I keep it?" she asked, holding it to her chest, hardly daring to breath.

Tony smiled at her and she almost missed how heart-breakingly sad and guilty it still was. "Of course. It's not like-" he sighed, correcting his unrefined words, and reached up to kiss her forehead instead. "Consider it part of your twelve percent," he said as he left the room finally.

Well, she accomplished what she set out to do, she mused as she rubbed over a corner of her picture. Tony Stark has left the building. She sighed, heels clicking as she held her newest gift tight and moved to turn off the lights with a final glance around the room. She wondered how long Tony would continue to avoid her out of his sense of shame. She wondered how long it would still hurt to see him and not be with him.

But it didn't matter, did it? She would keep working for Tony with a completely professional attitude because she had to. Tony needed her and she would get over Tony because Tony mattered so much and he deserved to be happy. She had her chance to be that for him and it didn't work because they weren't right for each other. She wasn't built to last the stress of dating the Iron Man and Tony never would be able to think like a business man or understand one. She was surprised that they lasted as long as they did. Besides, now she not only had proof that Tony Stark had a heart, but that he had loved her with it in his own way.

With a faint smile on her lips, she turned her back and continued walking away.


	8. How To Win A Game of Tag

**Here it is, the grand finale. Conveniently enough, it is also the longest chapter ^.^ Also, I had been thinking about writing a sequel, from Loki's POV and extending it a little with _real_ plot but I'm not sure and it would take some time doing...  
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**Fun fact: I wrote most of the dialogue between Loki and Tony at the end while taking one of my AP Exams-so, essentially, I have been writing everything for and around _this_ point so it's a climax in every sense-and doodled Loki's name in Norse ruins all over the place. Cuz I'm cool like that.  
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**Chapter Seven: How to Win A Game of Tag  
**

He went to the top floor, or rather, to the veranda where he had landed before to first offer the God a drink. Apparently, he was in one of those rare nostalgic, sentimental moods. He smiled softly and closed his eyes to enjoy his memory montage with the ambiance of wind blowing through his hair.

God, maybe Loki had managed to brain-whammy him somehow. That would explain _everything_. He couldn't remember ever acting this way for Pepper-for anyone, actually-and he didn't really mind because Loki was-well, _Loki_-everything he needed and a little bit of what he didn't want because to be a perfect fit would have been boring. And neither of them did well with perfection-or boredom. Kinda why they were here in the first place.

He snorted. Time's up on that whole soft fluff moment. Another moment and he would have had to remind himself that he was, in fact, a dude. He was such a sappy relationship guy now; beware, world, there was one less genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist around.

"What are you thinking about?" a gruff voice asked quietly, tinged with honest curiosity. Cue sappy grin and dramatic turn to violin music or something.

"You," he watched Loki blush faintly. "What are you thinking about?" Great, he was already starting the 'let's-ask-each-other-the-same-questions-over-and-over-again, it'll-be-cute-and-fun' thing.

"War, destruction, revenge, stupid Gods of Thunder with his stupid band of heroes ruining my plans, the usual," Loki shrugged with a grin. He joined Tony at the edge and looked down at the city and rushing people with him.

"But, mostly about...you," Tony looked up at that, surprised at the admission. "Us. What we did that night," he continued in a completely different, gentle tone.

Tony's heart pounded faster and he licked his lips. A drink would be really great right now, stupendous even. He didn't expect to have this talk so soon, but whatever. Here goes nothing. "I'd like to do that again," he practically croaked.

He blinked in clear shock. "You-you do?"

"Yeah, I-" he shook his head. "Listen, Loki, I-" he was cut off this time by the sudden sound of alarms calling for the Avengers to assemble and Fury's voice over the intercom. They both cursed the timing.

"Loki's attacking the nation's capital. We need everyone to suit up and protect the White House immediately. That means you, Stark, if you're even listening. This is the third time I've called you!"

Tony sighed and turned to the Loki-clone after turning off the intercom systems. Any anger he might have felt melted away at the look of guilt on its face. "Guess I'll be seeing the real you now?"

"You are not angry at me for manipulating your emotions in order to distract you?" he asked with child-like earnesty. It was the most emotion he had seen him show in the entire time he had known him, pretty much.

"Honestly, Loki, if you don't try to manipulate me every once in awhile, I'd be worried. Though, it's not one of my most enjoyable experiences ever and I hate being used for a purpose only like I don't even matter-" Like Obadiah treated me. But Loki wasn't Obadiah, nor was his Loki-clone, if the crushed expression on his face was anything to go by.

He padded closer to him. "But, since you were so nice bout it, I think you deserve a little reward," He meant just to press a kiss to his forehead only, he really did. But he had forgotten to calculate his ability to draw him in, especially after such a long time. His lips left his cool skin there and as soon as he met his eyes, his self-control broke.

"Loki," he breathed, putting his lips bruisingly against his and wrapped a hand over the back of his skull to dig his fingers deep in his long locks. "I missed you,"

The Loki-clone shakily pushed him away and Tony was privy to a kaleidoscope of emotions filter through his green eyes. "Then, you should..." he took a deep breath. It was rather cute to see him so undone by his emotions eve if it wasn't the real him. "You should kiss the real me,"

"Stark?" Steve's voice called a few seconds before his body appeared at the entrance. Loki-clone disappeared in a flash of green. "Stark, did you hear-"

"Yeah, no," he interrupted, turning around to face him while brushing a hand over his goatee to hide his bruising lips that would give him away. Because he was clearly up here alone and there was only one magical-invisible/disappearing-act that the Avengers knew of. "I-I heard. I'll be there in approximately 25.8 minutes, which is almost twice as fast as how long it will take you to get there even with my high-powered jet,"

"You're on," he said, because the only way to distract Steve from anything Tony does is to challenge him. It was part of his remaining guilt he felt for practically daring Tony to sacrifice himself to save the world when he took that missile through the portal. Still, it was one of the few times he got to see the Captain without his usual serious mask so he figured it didn't matter that he manipulated him since it benefited the both of them-Steve didn't catch Tony doing something forbidden and Tony gave him a chance to relax and enjoy himself a bit to take away the burden of his guilt.

Huh. He didn't realize how similar he and Loki were in that aspect. Wouldn't he be glad to know.

He smirked as he heard Steve start to hurry everybody out. "Jarvis, calibrate my new suit," He managed to squeeze out this new design in between the time Pepper all but kicked him out of his room to eat and converse with people like a normal human and now so he was expecting a few glitches out of it. But it would work so well for this confrontation. No more awkward waiting time to get the suit off and get down to other kinds of business during tags.

"But, sir, you have purposefully left out armor capabilities in favour of a few, dare I say, unique qualities-"

"Jarvis, it's Loki we're talking about. I doubt that I'm going to be in that kind of trouble. It's not like the old days," At least, he hoped not. "Suit up,"

* * *

"You're late," Steve complained as soon as he was in range.

"Yeah, well, I took the scenic route, so sue me," he bit back into the headset. Actually, he had a minor problem with the flight aspect in this suit. Wasn't quite balanced yet, so it knocked him a few minutes back from his previous estimated time of arrival.

Loki sent off a flare obviously meant for him-why else would there be red and gold flares sparkling a little to his left-and he couldn't stop a smile. Guess he wasn't the only one missing someone. "As much as I love listening to you criticize my ear off, I've got a good shot on Loki and I'm going to take it. Stark out,"

"Wait! There are a bunch of his clones running around and-"

Oh, would you look at that. His communication system was down now, too. How...fortunate.

His landing still had that metallic clang that he had easily come to love and he watched Loki emerge from the shadows-literally, it was like the shadows were reluctantly allowing him to step into the light in a way that he had also easily fell in love with-with a hard intensity in his bright eyes. "Suit off," he muttered into voice commands, shivering as his lighter metal-alloy design for the skin decompressed and the _green_ plates piled on top of each other until they formed a tight metal backbone along the length of his spine.

"Heavier than I thought, but with more surface area-" he cut off his out loud musings as complicated equations started to distract him from the being that was Loki. "I'm guessing you were behind the whole shutdown of my systems-thanks for that, by the way," He didn't get an answer but Loki's smile curled a bit more smugly and gave him away.

Tony took a cocky step forward. "So, is this the real you or mmph?" Loki surged the great distance between them in a single stride, gripped him by the sides of his face and attacked his mouth with a rough passion while shoving him up against the nearest wall in a fluid motion full of surprising agility and pain. Thankfully, his new exoskeleton spine absorbed most of the shock of his impact, though his shoulders rolled with recoil hard enough that he knew they were going to be sore tomorrow. Maybe sooner.

"Loki," he moaned, ignoring the thought of future pain in favour of Loki's tongue and the oddly wonderful tenderness he was expressing with the simplest of faint tugs on his hair. God, the just the feeling of having his long, talented fingers slide through his hair was so...novel-in a good way. And he had missed Loki _so very much_. Could he really be blamed for arching back up to him-because Loki made the _best_ sounds when he was being touched and Tony really couldn't touch him _enough_-and repeating his name with a needy, begging quality to it? "_Loki!_"

"Yes," he hissed, finally breaking away to speak and give the mortal a chance to suck in some air-did he not need to breathe or what?-only to start sucking circles on the left side of his neck and shoulders. He was pretty sure he made a mostly involuntary mewling-whimper kind of noise as he sagged against the wall for support to keep him upright. "Scream my name, Stark,"

Stark was his business name, and while he was all for mixing business with pleasure-as long as it was conducive to profits, of course-it was something of a mood-killer at this very point. He put his palms out on Loki's chest with a fair amount of force. "Wait, Loki-uh, we need to talk..." He couldn't believe he was actually instigating this conversation that he had tried to avoid his entire life with everyone he had ever been with.

Loki narrowed his eyes, obviously displeased. "I do not appreciate this two-sidedness," he grumbled, but he did stop.

Two-sidedness? _Really_? Look who's talking. Tony shook himself free of those thoughts. He needed to concentrate on getting his message through with as little awkwardness as possible. "It's not that. Just, before we continue...I have a confession to make..."

Loki raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms, indicating that he was waiting for him to elaborate with what little patience he had. "Which is...?" he prompted, not too gently.

"I-" Tony sighed after stretching out the vowel and moment as long as it was humanely possible, rubbing his forehead in exasperation at himself. "I love...you."

For a good deal longer than a second, but not quite long enough to be more substantial than that, the God's eyes widened with something like hope and maybe fear and possibly even a smidgen of something mutual. But then an iron mask slammed down over his face and he went back to the snarky, smug, holier-than-thou confidence from the first time they met and fought. Except he knew it was a lie, a trick, because his eyes weren't as bright as they normally were.

"Is that so?" he smiled like he had just pulled one over on him, complete with that laugh that said 'Oh, _Stark_, you _silly_ human'. And, even though he knew with all his heart that Loki was only desperately trying not to look or become vulnerable by his declaration, Loki got to him.

"You smug _bastard_-" he began bitingly.

"That is inconclusive, Stark," he teased with a dangerous flash of teeth.

"God, you can't even say my name-you _never_ have!" he threw his hands up in the air in a violent motion of anger he didn't know he felt towards the God, totally frustrated by his inability to get personal with him. He didn't _want_ to be kept at a distance like that. It hurt. And now he knew exactly how much it sucked to be on the receiving end of it. Fuck you, karma, _fuck you_. "What am I going to _do_ with you?"

"On the contrary, _Tony_," he sneered viciously, lips curling and mocking him with the use of his first name now. "I do possess the ability to say your name. It is...distaste that encourages my informality with you," Something flashed from behind the mask and Tony bet it was the thing that he really feared, the thing he was trying to hide from him.

"Distaste?" he blinked, frowning into an answering snarl. "What, because I'm a human-a _lowly mortal_ not fit for a _God_ like _you_?"

Something about what he just said finally got Loki to drop the act and don a more realistic tired and weary form. "You are anything but low, Stark, else I would not have lain with you even if it was to win a game. You must not think so of yourself-it is unbecoming of my partner,"

Tony slumped tiredly himself with a hand to his forehead and sighed. It was exhausting fighting with him and keeping up with his charades. He was more difficult to get along with than himself-from what he heard-on a bad day. "I don't get you, Loki. First you're all-" he gave a lazy hand motion to articulate what he meant. "Now you say stuff like-_that_," He used to be so easy to read, predictable. He felt like he and Loki were cut from the same cloth-they had similar back stories, led similar lives, had a similar sense of fun-why now did he have to be such a _mystery_? Why couldn't he _understand_ anymore?

That's what really ticked him off; the fact that he didn't _know_. Stark was a man of intelligence-among other things-but take away his ability to deal with a situation and make plans or guesses that could help him come out on top, he didn't know what to do. He was useless and he hated that feeling. He had to be _somebody_. Call it the product of his own daddy issues or whatever you want, he _needed_ to be important. And, lately, he thought he had been important to Loki.

But now that he confessed and accepted the fact that Loki managed to worm his way under his skin and infect his heart the way his magic staff couldn't, and had been left out to dry, he was beyond scared. He was _terrified_. No one ever made him feel the way Loki did and to think that there was a chance this entire thing might be all over-

He didn't know what he would do. But he sure wouldn't _care_ anymore.

"Sta-Anthony." Loki took a step forward as Tony snapped his head up to watch him with wide eyes.

"The reason for my distaste is the fact that-" he looked down for a moment and when he looked back up, his eyes were bright lime again and shimmering with tears he would never let himself shed if he could help it. "Every moment I have with you is a reminder of what cannot last, because my most perfect equal in eons-perhaps _ever _and for all time-is _mortal_ and this-this vulnerability, this _weakness_ to want you and be with you for all of your eternity despite the inevitable heartache that will surely cause my demise is _unbearably_ bittersweet.

"It is distasteful because...with you, I am complete-and the damnable, all-too-soon future shows me that I will soon be incomplete and live out the rest of my days with an ache gnawing on my soul whose release will not come even in death for we are separated and parted from one another in that regard as well. Do you understand?" he implored with every molecule of his body, in his tone and in his eyes-all at a whisper-soft level of volume. There was the faintest sheen on his face that suggested one of those tears had leaked out unintentionally and unnoticed. It was really painting quite the picture that Tony couldn't stay so unmoved by. "I am in _agony_ when I see you, Tony, and _you have just professed your love to me. _The question is, what am_ I_ going to do with _you_?"

Tony took some time to process all that had just been hurled at him-and it was _a lot_ to process-and maybe give Loki some time to recover and collect himself just a little before he got up and walked the remaining distance between them to deliver his message.

"Well," he drawled. Loki's eyes flickered to him with curiosity and apprehension reflected in the entire tense stance of his body. It was like a mirror of what he had just been-terrified that he had said too much and not knowing what to do with it all. "After a confession like that...it _better_ be a three-day-we'll-make-this-work-somehow-but-until-then-I'm-gonna-fuck-you-like-there's-no-tomorrow sex marathon,"

Loki's lips twitched and his eyes sparkled. "That does sound pleasant," he purred. Tony shivered at the sound and Loki almost hesitantly leaned down to kiss him, toying with his bottom lip caught between his teeth for a delightful pinch to add to the sensation. He met Tony's gaze, pulling away, as if to ask if this was okay. Instead of replying verbally, Tony gripped his ebony locks located on the back of his head and yanked him back to his mouth for a crushing kiss. That got him to unwind his odd restraint.

"Mm," he exhaled as Loki returned to his neck with a new drive. "Before I forget," he said into his ear with a much lighter hold now. "Can we agree on a new rule that adds 50 points for every Avenger and SHEILD agent that catches us in the act?"

"No," Loki rumbled in a husky voice, ignoring Tony's pout with a smirk. "Oh, and, before I forget-no, this _isn't_ the real me." It shimmered away in yet another cloud of green smoke before Tony could do more than grind his teeth in frustration.

"Suit up," he huffed, determined to find him once and for all and get some payback for today's events. Tricks like this when they had been pouring their hearts out to each other were _not_ appreciated. At _all. _

His communications turned back on as soon as the plates started gearing back into place which was like an added bonus. Yay.

"Tony? Tony, can you hear me?" The Cap called loudly-as if that would help the lack of connection, but he wasn't totally up to date and hip with technology so Tony forgave him with a wince. Certainly not because he had been his childhood hero at one point.

"I hear you, Cap, _loud_ and clear," he said as he prepared for flight.

"Good. I was afraid I would have to send out a search party. Listen, we think we've triangled-"

"Triangulated, boy wonder," Tony corrected absent mindedly.

"-Whatever. We have Loki's real area. You're the closest, so try to hold down the fort until we can get there," Tony rolled his eyes at his choice of words. "It's 1600 Pennsylvannia Avenue Northwest, by the Rose Gardens,"

"Gotcha, on my way. Stark out," he ended the transmission and took a hard left out of Zei Alley to cross diagonally through a few blocks to touch down right behind the only person he knew who wore golden horns with his green cape.

Loki turned around in his full battle gear-armor, he calls it-immediately and grinned with a self-satisfied glow. "So, you've found me finally. Just what are you going to do with me, now, Anthony Stark?"

"I think you've got a good idea already," his semi-mechanical voice retorted. "Suit off," he commanded, stalking over to grip him by the collar. "Let's say this is my turn, 55 points for my tag. Which puts you at 1,560 and me at 1,650,"

He pulled Loki to him again, locking their bodies smack against each other. He felt Loki's fingers go to the back of his neck almost searchingly. "What are you doing?"

"Never you mind," he murmured and pressed some part of him back there that made him gasp and his knees buckle almost underneath him.

"I think I'd like you to do that thing again," he said, voice velvety soft with promises of even more pleasure in a way that made sure Tony could not misunderstand exactly what he was asking for.

"Extra 50 points," he managed to get out.

"Deal," Loki agreed instantly. Tony grinned-he _knew_ Loki had enjoyed it before- and got on his knees.

"Like this, master?" He grinned brighter when he heard Loki's sharp intake of breath and felt fingers shakily run through his already messed up hair. "Let me take care of you, _my king,_" he simpered, stretching to untie his belt with his teeth. A simple talent he had developed over the years as an equivalent to strip-teasing but on a much more rewarding scale. Well, rewarding for him, since he was the one to get to torture Loki slowly and watch him come undone and start to-

"STARK! What the _HELL_ do you think you're doing?"

That was Fury's furious voice. If Fury was here...

He glanced casually around him with a slow turn of his head.

Oh, shit.

Not only was his entire team out there, gawking, but quite a few reporters and paparazzi taking quite the candid shot. Well, he knew who was going to be make the headlines of every major news station for the next few days. Dammit. How could he forget that the _White House_ was a very populated area full of tourists and such?

But, at least Loki did manage to coordinate a nice background for them.

"Hey, Avengers. Fury," he waved weakly, coughing. "Nice day, eh? Got Loki for ya," he said with a jerk of his thumb. Fury growled and Tony swore he saw some steam come out of him. True story.

He coughed again and stood up to face Loki's smug grin. "I won," he cheered-the _bastard_. He had this all planned...somehow.

"You _cheated_," he pouted, ignoring the world for a moment longer. "I don't know how, and I can't prove anything, but you cheated. I_ know_ you did,"

"But I _won_," he repeated with that stupid grin of his, fingering the light of his arc reactor-where his heart was.

Tony's resolve broke-not that there was much of that- and he gave him a real smile. "Yeah, I guess you did."

* * *

So, _maybe_ he lost a few details along the way-not like they were _that_ important anyways-since the beginning. Big deal. He still knew how it ended, and that's the thing that really counts: happily ever after.

Well, their version of it, at least.


End file.
